Discover

Discover

What is a chalk stream, how do they work, and what makes them so special?

Chalk streams are fed by spring water, provided by the underground aquifer. The streams are famously ‘gin-clear’, with clean gravel river beds and good growth of aquatic plants like water crowfoot. The undeground source ensures a near constant temperature year round. This, along with the high mineral content, helps them to support a huge diversity of life.

Chalk streams follow an annual cycle, with sections, or sometimes whole streams, drying up in later summer / autumn. Watch our film to learn more about how these fascinating ecosystems work.

 

Find out more

How do chalk streams work?

Did you know that sections or sometimes whole chalk streams can dry up all together? Watch our film to learn...

Chilterns Streams

Find out more about the chalk streams which rise in the Chiltern hills. Chalk streams are a key feature of...

Wildlife

The water that feeds chalk streams rises in springs from the chalk aquifer below, producing ‘gin clear’ waters, which remain...

History

A brief history of Chilterns chalk streams

Chalk streams

Chalk streams are fed by spring water, provided by the underground aquifer. The streams are famously ‘gin-clear’, with clean gravel river beds and good growth of aquatic plants like water crowfoot. The undeground source ensures a near constant temperature year round. This, along with the high mineral content, helps them to support a huge diversity of life.

Chalk streams follow an annual cycle with sections, or sometimes whole streams, drying up in late summer / autumn. Watch our film to learn more about how these fascinating ecosystems work.

Chilterns ANOB
Chilterns ANOB

Our Work

Find out more about the work of the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project
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Visit

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Chilterns ANOB

Get Involved

Join your local river group, campaign for your local river, join in with some practical conservation work or become a citizen scientist. Find out how you can get involved.
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Learning

School visit information and educational resources for primary, secondary and beyond.
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